Police, Adjective

Cristi, a young police detective, is sent to follow a high school student suspected of dealing light drugs. Very quickly, it becomes clear that the object of his surveillance may smoke once in a while with friends, but the kid is no dealer. In post-Communist Romania, Cristi’s intuition tells him that the rules are about to change, so why should he ruin the life of a young student with seven years of prison? He tries to avoid his superiors, but the moment of truth will come when Cristi meets his commanding officer…. Corneliu Porumboiu’s second film reveals a mature and wise artist who deeply understands the secrets of the art of cinema. With precise dialogues and seemingly simple use of the camera, Porumboiu presents an intelligent work that touches upon key issues like authority, the difficulty in breaking old habits, and the power of language. As he matures gracefully into the next phase of his career, his film “goes one step further in its sober attempt to achieve the maximum with the minimum of means” (Dan Fainaru, Screen International).